Portable concrete batching plant



Nov. 8, 1960 P. J. CAWOOD 2,959,302

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Nov. 8, 1960 P. J. CAWOOD 2,959,302

PORTABLE CONCRETE BATCHING PLANT Filed July 3. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

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x I EX Paul Joseph Cawoaa' INVENTOR.

BY 2mm Nov. 8, 1960 P. J. CAWOOD 2,959,302

PORTABLE CONCRETE BATCHING PLANT Filed July 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

Paul Joseph Cawood INVENTOR.

WWW @Mw United States Patent C) PORTABLE CONCRETE BATCHING PLANT Paul Joseph Cawood, 345 Adams St., Denver, Colo.

Filed July 3, 1957, Ser. No. 669,823

9 Claims. (Cl. 214-2) This invention relates to a portable concrete batching plant and more particularly to a novel arrangement of an aggregate and cement hopper mounted on a platform type scale and adapted to be lifted off the scale for discharge of the contents of the hopper.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of an automatic portable concrete batching plant which consists of a hopper adapted to weigh the aggregate placed therein and which may be arranged so that after the desired load is within the hopper, the latter may be lifted off the scale for discharge of the contents.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a portable concrete batching plant which is mounted on a steel chassis or frame with suitable rubber tired wheels for conveniently enabling the batching plant to be towed behind a truck or other similar tractor vehicle.

The construction of this invention features a novel three-stage lifting of the hopper which includes a means for lifting the hopper oif of the scale platform, means for initially pivoting and raising the hopper, and final means for completing the raising of the hopper to a discharge position.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a portable concrete batching plant that is essentially simple in construction, convenient to use, which may be powered by either gasoline or electric motor, and which utilizes a novel hydraulic system arrangement.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this portable concrete batching plant, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the portable concrete batching plant comprising the present invention showing the device in phantom lines in the partially and fully raised positions;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view take along the plane of line 22 of Figure 1 illustrating in particular the pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies used for initially raising the hopper;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken along the plane of line 33 of Figure 2 showing on an enlarged scale the means for lifting the hopper 01f the scale platform and the secondary means for raising the hopper to its completely elevated position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 44 in Figure 3 further illustrating the construction of the means for raising the hopper off the scale platform;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view of a portion of the invention as shown in Figure 3 and showing the means for raising the hopper off the scale platform in actuated position;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic system included in the invention;

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 77 in Figure 2 and illustrating the stop means for limiting the movement of the pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies; and

Figure 8 is a partial plan view illustrating the construction of the means for completing the raising of the hopper being taken along the plane of line 88 in Figure 3.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the portable concrete batching plant comprising the present invention which includes a wheeled chassis 12 having rubber tired wheels as at 14 and 16 arranged in pairs for supporting the chassis 12. Mounted on the chassis is a gasoline engine 18. Alternatively, an electric motor or the like may be employed. Also provided on the chassis 12 is a platform type scale 20 which may be a Howe platform scale (20,000 lb. scale). The scale is provided with a platform 22 upon which a hopper 24 normally rests which hopper is adapted to be filled with the aggregate and cement. The hopper is provided with a rear discharge chute 26.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be noted that the chassis 12 has mounted thereon a hydraulic cylinder 30 which operates a piston having a piston rod 32 connected thereto. Pivotally connected to the piston rod are a pair of cam actuating links 34 which are pivoted to cams 36. The earns 36 are carried by a camshaft 38 which is suitably journaled and function to raise a support block 40 which support block has a pivot point or shaft 42 to which the rear end of the hopper 24 is pivoted. Hence, actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 30 will serve to move the piston 32 causing the cam links 34 and the cams 36 to be actuated thus raising the block 40 and raising the rear end of the hopper off of the scale platform.

Secured to the front end of the channel-shaped members 50 and 52 of the chassis 12 is a shaft 54 having a pair of hydraulic cylinder asesmblies 56 and 58 secured thereto and thus pivotal therewith. Within the cylinder assemblies are suitable pistons as at 60 having actuating piston rods 62 and 64 carrying sheaves 66 and 68. Also secured on the shaft 54 are pulleys 70 and 72. Entrained about the sheaves 66 and 68 are cables 74 and 76 the cables being secured at one end thereof to the pulleys 70 and 72 and at the other ends thereof to brackets 78 and 80 depending from the hopper 24. Also, counterweights 82 and 84 depend from the cables 74 and 76 for returning the cables to their initial position. Coil springs, as at 86, Figure 1, are provided for urging the cylinder assemblies 56 and 58 to the upright position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 from the tilted position as shown by phantom lines in Figures 1 and 7 and movement toward its full line position is limited by the limit stop welded or otherwise secured to the cylinder assemblies. The cylinders receive their hydraulic fluid from hydraulic connections as at 92.

Pivoted to a shaft 94, see Figure 8, depending from the chassis 12 is a further hydraulic cylinder assembly 96 having hydraulic means connected thereto as at 98 and I 100 for operating the hydraulic cylinder 96 to actuate a piston having a piston rod 102 which is pivoted as at 104 to a shaft 106 mounted by means of a bracket 108 on the hopper 24. The hydraulic system, as shown in Figure 6, is provided with a manual control lever 110 functioning to actuate a valve 112 controlling flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump 114 and the reservoir 116 to the hydraulic cylinder 30 first, the hydraulic cylinders 56 and 58 next and subsequently to the hydraulic cylinder 96.

The operation of the invention is subsequent to placing the aggregate and cement into the hopper by means. of any suitable loading mechanism. This is measured by means of the weight which is registered on the scale dial 126 of the platform scale 20. If the gasoline engine 18 is not running at this time, it is then placed into-operation. It is not necessary that the motor be operated while loading the hopper. However, in continuous batching the motor may remain in operation during the loading. A by-pass valve, not shown, on the hydraulic control valve may be provided for by-passing oil discharged by the pump when the motor 13 is operating and it is not desired to raise the hopper. When the control valve is placed in the hoisting position the oil by-pass valve is closed by the control valve. The scale lockout assembly is the first part to come into operation. The hydraulic cylinder 30 because of the manner of the operation of the special valve 112 will first receive fluid which will cause the block 40 to rise from the position as is shown in Figure 3' to the position as is shown in Figure 5 thus lifting the rear end of the hopper and taking its weight off the scale. The moment the hydraulic cylinder 30 has moved its piston into its outermost position, so that its piston is in-a full locked position, the primary lifting cylinders 56 and 58 next receive fluid and begin to raise the front end of the hopper.

Movement of the pistons 62 and 64 will cause the hopper to re-raise due to the action of the cables 74 and 76. The cylinders will swing about the axis of their support shaft 54 with the arc of the hopper as the latter moves up to the full dump position. The advantage of this arnangement is that there is no danger of the cables riding out of the sheaves or having undue strain placed upon them. The return stop 90 engages the chassis beams to limit the return position of the cylinder assemblies. Further, the return springs 86 continuously urge the cylinders to; their upright position. The return weights prevent slack in the hoisting cables.

The secondary hoist comes into operation after the cylinders 56 and 58 and helps hoist the hopper. When the cylinders reach their peak the secondary hoist cylinder 96 then takes the hopper from the lower position shown in phantom lines in Figure 1 to the full dump position and will hold it at this point until the control lever is placedinto a lower position.

The'advantage of the control valve is that the hopper can be stopped and held in position from stop to full dump based on the control valve setting.

Theforegoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable concrete batching plant comprising a Wheeled chassis having a scale platform thereon, a pair of rear support blocks vertically movably mounted on said chassis, means to vertically move said support blocks secured to the front end' of said chassis in front of said hopper for partially raising said hopper and tilting. the latter about said support blockpivots, and second hydraulically actuated lifting means for completely raising said hopper and being pivoted to said hopper and to said chassis beneath. said hopper.

2. The combination of claim 1 including cams connected to said blocks for vertically raising said blocks, cam arms pivoted to said cams and a hydraulic cylinder assembly mounted on said chassis and having a piston rod actuated thereby, said piston rod being connected to said cam arms. y

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first lifting means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies fixedly mounted on a shaft carried by said chassis and pivoting with said shaft, pistons operated by said hydraulic cylinder assemblies having sheaves mounted thereon, pulleys on said shaft, cables entrained about said pulleys and sheaves and secured to said hopper for raising said hopper upon upward movement of said pistons.

4. The combination of claim 1 including cams connected to said blocks for raising said blocks, cam arms connected to said cams, and a hydraulic cylinder assembly mounted onsaid chassis and having a piston rod actuated thereby, said piston rod being connected to said cam arms, said first lifting means comprising a pair of hydraulic cylinder assemblies mounted on a shaft carried by said chassis and pivoting with said shaft, spring means urging said cylinder assemblies into a vertical position, stop means engaging said cylinder assemblies and limiting their pivotal movement in one direction to said vertical position.

5. The combination of claim 1 including a hydraulic actuating system connected to said first and second lifting means and to said blocks and operable to initially lift said. blocks and lift said hopper from said scale platform, thereafter actuate said first lifting means and subsequently actuate saidfsecond lifting means.

6. The combination'of claim 1 wherein saidfirst lifting means comprises a transverse shaft pivotally journaled upon said chassis and a pair of upwardly extending hydraulic cylinder and piston units fixedly secured to said shaft and pivotable therewith; spring means urging said units into a vertical position, said units being disposed forwardly of the front end of said hopper, means connecting said units to said hopper.

7. Thecombinationof claim 6 wherein said connecting means produces an amplified lifting movement of said hopper upon movement of said units.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said connecting means includes pulleys. carried by said units and movable therewith, a cable trained over each pulley and having its ends secured to said hopper and to astationary anchor.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said anchor comprises a pulley secured to said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,374 Eibee May 10, 1892 920,512 Wright May 4, 1909 2,326,594 Wood Aug. 10, 1943 2,520,844 Kunert Aug. 29, 1950- 2,756,881 Sims July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 422,533 Great Britain Jan. 14, 1935 

